PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Illinois

Jefferson County, IL

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Jefferson County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

26.3%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
17.1%
on SNAP
37K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

The food-access picture

26.3% of Jefferson County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
6.3%
households, no vehicle
13.5%
below poverty line

Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).

USDA data puts Jefferson County's low-access share at 26.3%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 11 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 10,216 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,761 low-income residents.

How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts

The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.

How Jefferson County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Jefferson County's 26.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 62% of them and ranked #1,198 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Jefferson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Jefferson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Jefferson County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (36.4%) 3 tracts limited (27.3%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (36.4%) Adequate 36% Limited 27% Severe 36% Food-access tier distribution: Jefferson County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Jefferson County vs. other Illinois counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Illinois

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Jefferson County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)38,827
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population10,216
Low-Access Share26.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,761

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Jefferson County
IndicatorValue
Population36,550
Median Household Income$63,118
Poverty Rate13.5%near the national average
SNAP Households2,537
SNAP Participation Rate17.1%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.3%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.1%
SNAP participation in Jefferson County 17.1%

About 17.1% of Jefferson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 26.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,537 households here.
  • 6.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).

USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).

What the food-access data shows for Jefferson County

above the national share

4 of Jefferson County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 36.4% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 10,216 residents, roughly 26.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,761 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (36.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Jefferson County

Jefferson County has 40 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 23

  • casey's general store 2154, mount vernon
  • casey's general store 2167, mount vernon
  • casey's general store 2942, mount vernon
  • circle k 145, mount vernon
  • circle k 4701209, mount vernon
  • circle k 4701333, mount vernon
  • circle k 4701334, mount vernon
  • huck's 134, mount vernon
  • huck's 259, mount vernon
  • huck's 349, mount vernon
  • huck's 371, mount vernon
  • huck's 51, mount vernon
  • jamjoeys, dix
  • love's travel stop 824, mt. vernon
  • love's travel stops 318, ina
  • mach 1 14, mount vernon
  • midway liquor & tobacco, mount vernon
  • pilot travel center 482, mount vernon
  • quiktrip 7190, mt vernon
  • spartanville fueling station, waltonville
  • speedway 7423, ina
  • sun liquors inc, mount vernon
  • ta mt vernon 43, mount vernon

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • cvs/pharmacy 6370, mount vernon
  • dollar general 18470, bluford
  • dollar general 18618, ina
  • dollar general 8985, mount vernon
  • dollar general 9780, mount vernon
  • dollar tree 3409, mount vernon
  • dollar general 14896, mount vernon
  • dollar general 21856, mount vernon
  • dollar general 24222, woodlawn
  • dollar general 25292, bonnie
  • dollar general 3860, mount vernon
  • dollar general store 17330, dix
  • walgreens 02876, mount vernon

Super Store · 2

  • kroger l-711, mount vernon
  • walmart supercenter #224 00224, mount vernon

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • king city meat market, mount vernon

Supermarket · 1

  • aldi 41091 41091, mount vernon

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Illinois

Adams County
16.5% low-access · 12.4% SNAP
Alexander County
49.6% low-access · 26.8% SNAP
Bond County
20.8% low-access · 12.9% SNAP
Boone County
31.5% low-access · 14.3% SNAP
Brown County
34.5% low-access · 12.1% SNAP
Bureau County
36.6% low-access · 13.5% SNAP

Compare Jefferson County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

Food access nationally, Illinois in context

Jefferson County sits inside Illinois (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Jefferson County has low food access? ▼
26.3% of residents in Jefferson County, IL live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Jefferson County? ▼
17.1% of households in Jefferson County receive SNAP, covering 2,537 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Jefferson County? ▼
The poverty rate in Jefferson County, IL is 13.5%, with a median household income of $63,118 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Jefferson County a food desert? ▼
4 of Jefferson County's 11 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Jefferson County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.3% of households in Jefferson County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
Data Sources & Methodology

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →

Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).

Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.